TORONTO — Former Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson has written a musical tribute to his late friend and bandmate Neil Peart.
The Toronto musician says “Western Sunsets” came together after spending time with Peart at the drummer’s home in Santa Monica shortly before he died of brain cancer in January 2020.
The instrumental piece drifts along on an acoustic-electric guitar, lasting a brief two-and-a-half minutes.
Lifeson says he began writing the tranquil composition as he sat with Peart on his balcony and watched a golden sunset mark the end of a day.
He hoped the track would be a way to honour his friend “without being too maudlin about it.”
“Western Sunsets” closes the self-titled debut of Envy of None, a new band featuring Lifeson. The album is set for release April 8.
The gentle tribute sounds noticeably different than the experimental rock edge that dominates the rest of Envy of None’s 11-track album. Lifeson hopes its “serenity and calmness” will allow listeners to absorb the melodic alt-rock sound in a “more stable listening environment.”
But he recognizes that acknowledging “Western Sunsets” was written for Peart gives the song a certain weight for some listeners.
“That’s a problem, you don’t want it to be this tribute and everybody focuses on that,” he says.
“It’s a beautiful song that captures a moment that was difficult. Every time I hear it, I remember those things. So it’s very personal to me.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 15, 2022.
